Chance rinsed his face off in the sink, then looked up, blinking at himself in the mirror. He gave himself a smirk, turned off the light, then began attempting to negotiate his way back to bed in the dark. He had almost made it, when his foot hit the bedside table leg. It didn't really hurt, but he quietly yelped anyway.
"You OK?" asked Bev.
"Yeah. Just bein' clumsy." Chance lifted the covers and slid underneath them. "I always hate that part."
"What part?"
"Stumblin' my way back to bed. Not that it ain't worth it." Chance grinned, and put his arms around Bev, who snuggled backwards against him.
"Funny - I always like that part."
"Why's that?"
"I get to watch," Bev said, laughing quietly.
"Oh. Well, hope you enjoyed the show."
"Oh, I did." Bev snuggled closer to Chance.
"Everything OK?" asked Chance.
Bev stopped short, and glanced behind her in the dark. "What do you mean?"
"With me. Was I OK?"
Laughing again, Bev said, "Are you asking if it was good for me?"
Chance sheepishly said, "Well, most girls wouldn't tell ya."
"I'm not most girls. And you were great."
"Thanks," said Chance, still sheepishly, but now grinning.
"Thanks for waiting."
"Wasn't I s'posed to?"
"Yeah, but you'd be surprised. Most guys wouldn't."
"Then most guys are creeps." Chance kissed the back of Bev's head. "Or idiots."
"Or both. Well, don't worry about it. You were great." Bev added, laughing, "Just like Judy said you'd be."
"Huh?"
"Oh, Judy at work says that mechanics make the best lovers. She said I should've jumped you the second I saw you."
"Hm. Don't know how'd they'da taken that at It'd Do." Both Chance and Bev laughed.
"To be honest, Chance, I was wondering when you'd finally make your move. I was hoping nothing was wrong."
"Oh, nothin's wrong. Not at all." After a pause, Chance went on, slyly, "I s'pose I could make up for lost time."
"Tomorrow?" asked Bev, just as slyly.
"Lotsa hours between now and tomorrow." Chance moved his arms down Bev's sides. "Ya up for it?"
"I could...be persuaded."
Chance slid up over Bev until he was straddling her. "Let the persuadin' begin," he murmured. Bending down, Chance planted a kiss on Bev's lips. Bev responded, putting her arms around Chance, and slipping her tongue into Chance's mouth. She drew circles on Chance's back, then slid her hands lower, just as a loud piercing sound penetrated the room.
Chance rose up on his hands and knees, looked upwards, and gave a wordless roar. He tossed the covers off of them both, and began gathering his clothes.
"Chance, what is it?" said Bev nervously.
"Emergency," said Chance shortly. He tossed on his shirt, and began turning his pants back right-side-out.
"What kind of emergency?"
Chance found his pager and turned it off. "Dunno yet," he said, truthfully enough. He tossed on his pants, threading his tail, then walked back over to the bed. "I'll meet you for lunch tomorrow, 'K?" He kissed Bev tenderly, then jumped out the door, before she could ask anything else.
Razor was first out of the plane, and he began shucking off his uniform, stifling a yawn. "Well, that was hardly worth it."
T-Bone sulked next to him. "Tell me about it," he growled.
"Sorry to break up your date." Jake put his ratty t-shirt back on. "You were out with Bev, right?"
"I was with Bev, but we weren't out." He plopped his helmet onto its perch.
"Ah." Suddenly Jake stopped. "Wait a minute. You don't mean you were..." Jake paused significantly.
"We finished, but we were startin' again."
"Jeez. Sorry, Chance, if I'd I known that..."
"Nah, work first." Chance held up his jeans. "I'm gettin' a little tired of takin' these off and puttin' 'em on again, though."
"Chance, I could've taken care of that thing myself."
Yeah, but you couldn'ta known that." Chance tossed his jeans over his shoulder and started walking back to his room in his T-shirt and underwear. Jake followed along. "Besides, you remember last time what happened you ran a mission by yerself."
"Let's not bring that up." Jake gave an internal shudder, then thought for a second. "You like her, don't you?"
"Duh."
"I mean, really. It's not like the others, is it?"
Chance stopped and thought. "No. No, it's not." He looked up at his partner. "What're we gonna do?"
"Do?"
"I mean, I'll have to tell her."
"Tell her? You mean..." Jake tossed a thumb over his shoulder at the TurboKat.
"Yeah."
"Chance, you gotta be kidding! You only met her what - three weeks ago?"
"Yeah, so? You jealous?"
"No!" Jake stopped and thought for a second. "I mean, yeah, of course I'm jealous. I'm getting kinda tired of spending every night home alone."
"Yeah, well, sorry 'bout that."
"But that's not what I'm talking about. You've gotta be sure before you tell her."
"I'm sure."
"OK, then, I've gotta be sure before you tell her."
"Oh, really?" Chance leaned against the wall and glared back at his partner. "And how exactly is that gonna work? When exactly are you gonna be sure?"
Jake threw his arms in the air. "I dunno, Chance, but maybe I could at least meet her before you let her in on everything."
Chance stopped short. "What?"
Jake went on, trying to smile. "Look, before you tell her everything, the least you could do is bring her home to meet your partner."
"You met her."
"Oh, right. 'Jake, this here's Bev' before you slip out to dinner hardly counts as meeting."
Chance walked into his room, tossing his jeans towards the closet. He rubbed his face and sighed. "You're right. As always."
Jake leaned against the door frame. "You...admitting I'm right? Geez, she's changing you but good!" Jake and Chance laughed, and Jake went on. "Listen, can she come to dinner next week?"
Chance shrugged. "Don't see why not."
"Cool. I'll cook something good."
"What if we get buzzed while she's here?"
Jake suddenly frowned. "Ooh. Didn't think of that." He shrugged. "All right, then. We'll go out. We'll meet here first, though."
"Promise me you'll give her a fair shake."
Looking a bit hurt, Jake said, "C'mon, Chance, you know me better'n that."
"I know, I know." Chance looked down at his feet. "I just want this to work, that's all."